𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 || 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Chapter 13

"L-Lottie?" Bella asked in disbelief as I watched her study me, "Y-You're alive".

"I am," I replied bluntly. Every lesson my mates had taught me was at the forefront of my mind. I was a leader of the Volturi. This was my first official introduction to the outside vampire world and I was determined to make my mates proud. I refused to be considered the weak link amongst my mates.

I watched as my twin's eyes filled with anger as her eyes roamed over the cloaked figures of the Volturi, "But they said...they said you were dead!".

"I would suggest that anyone who doesn't want to get involved in this...family matter...should leave now," I called out to the Cullens' witnesses. It appeared none of them needed to be told twice as I watched all the witnesses leave, meaning only the Cullens and shapeshifters were left in the field.

I turned to the hybrid and Huilen, "Demetri and Felix will escort you back to Volterra. Please make yourselves at home, we will be along shortly". The two foreign vampires were smart enough to know that it wasn't a request, it was an order.

"Lead the way," the male hybrid smiled politely. I watched as the two disappeared along with the cloaked figures of Demetri and Felix.

"Jane and Alec, you both stay. The rest of you can wait nearby. We will be done shortly," I ordered the remainder of the guards. The other guards quickly left while the two cloaked forms of Jane and Alec remained. I looked at my mates and Aro nodded his head slightly, signaling that I had handled the situation well and how the rest of it unfolded was up to me. An eerie silence fell over the field. The Cullens and shapeshifters stared at me in disbelief while my mates, Jane, Alec and I stared right back at them completely unfazed. I could hear snippets of conversations that were happening amongst the Cullens but they quickly stopped when Bella shouted.

"She said they killed you," Bella broke the silence, "She said it was a mercy!". My eyes lazily surveyed the Cullens and the shapeshifters before they landed on my twin.

I studied her for several moments, only really now noticing the subtle differences since she had become a vampire, "The Volturi are under no obligation to answer your questions. It was a curtsey that Jane even told you that".

"But you're my sister!" Bella hissed, "Why didn't you come? You would have known about the Cullens being vampires! We could have helped you! Just because he's your mate-".

"Mates," I interrupted.

This seemed to completely throw her, "M-Mates?".

"Mates," I confirmed as I watched in glee as the Cullens started to squirm, "My wonderful mates, Aro, Caius, and Marcus". The sheer panic that appeared on every Cullen's face except Bella's was priceless. It made me truly appreciate having a vampire memory, I would never forget how shocked and worried they looked. They knew they were treading on very dangerous territory and with Bella struggling to maintain her composure, even they knew this was going to potentially go very, very bad.

I watched with interest as Bella seemed to struggle even more to process what I had just told her, "That's impossible. You're not Lottie! You're not my twin! You can't be! She would never do this to me!". I raised my eyebrow at Bella's behavior.

"It appears Mrs. Cullen is struggling to cope with you being alive," Marcus noted as he moved closer to me, "Tread carefully i kardiá mou, your sister is dancing with madness".

I hummed in acknowledgment at his comment, "Is her behavior normal?".

"For a newborn, yes," Caius softly piped in, "The news has overwhelmed her reasoning and her inner beast is taking over. She can be killed for threatening you if you so choose".